Pitt Engineering Research Could Advance Experimental Type 1 Diabetes Treatment
For more than one million Americans with Type 1 Diabetes, managing the condition involves daily shots of insulin and closely watching their diets. An experimental transplant of special cell clusters, called pancreatic islets, could offer longer term relief, but those cells are in short supply. “The main function of these islets are to sense blood glucose and secrete insulin in response to blood glucose,” said Ipsita Banerjee, a professor of Chemical and Bio-engineering at Pitt and principal investigator in the study. University of Pittsburgh researchers are leading a multi-university study that will try to help overcome this shortage, and that's where induced pluripotent stem cells come in to play. These cells are taken from adults and then genetically manipulated so they have the potential to transform into any kind of cell in the body. Banerjee is working to identify what combination of factors, such as nutrients and oxygen levels, will drive the stem cells to transform into the pancreatic islet cells. “We should be able to mass produce these islets, and actually, we have another grant where we are primarily looking into how to mass produce pluripotent stem cells,” said Banerjee. The National Institutes of Health reported that in clinical trials, more than half of patients have been able to go off insulin for two weeks at a time within the first year. However, most patients do eventually have to revert to daily insulin injections. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved certain hospitals to perform experimental transplants of pancreatic islets from deceased donors to type 1 diabetes patients, but the pool of donors is limited. Continue reading >>
Jdrf’s Top Advances On Type 1 Diabetes Cure & Treatment Research
“JDRF made exciting progress this year in our mission of accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat type 1 diabetes (T1D) and its complications,” explains Emily Howell from JDRF. This video with Aaron Kowalski, Ph.D. features some of JDRF’s most promising and exciting advances in type 1 diabetes cure and treatment research and technology. (Kowalski also takes questions from people in the diabetes community!) Here are a few of the notable advances mentioned in the video with details provided by Emily Howell. ViaCyte: Implantable Insulin Capsule JDRF is paving a pathway to a cure by pursuing research priorities that can improve treatment of T1D in the short term and mature over time into curative therapies. For example, ViaCyte’s VC-01 device that features pancreatic precursor cells enclosed in a device to protect them from immune attack. In January 2016 ViaCyte reported that VC-01’s precursor cells showed signs of developing into insulin-producing beta cells in one participant of the phase 1 safety trial. According to ViaCyte, although the observations are preliminary, they suggest the VC-01 device is working as designed. Read more about past ViaCyte research updates. Early Screening for Type 1 Diabetes in Children JDRF is funding the Fr1da project, in which 3-and 4-year-olds in Bavaria, Germany, are screened for early-stage markers of T1D at well-child visits. Those who test positive for the markers can enroll in a study monitoring disease progression or a trial testing whether oral insulin can stop progression of T1D. This trial raises the exciting prospect of stopping T1D in its tracks and changing the future for those at risk of developing T1D. New T1D Classification System Leading diabetes organizations along with JDRF’s leadersh Continue reading >>
New Treatments And Treatment Philosophy For Type 1 Diabetes
Advances in insulin types and regimens can help patients fit insulin therapy to their lifestyles. Treatment of type 1 diabetes has changed over the past several decades. Recent advances include the development of insulin analogs, such as the long-acting insulin glargine and the ultra-short-acting insulins aspart and lispro, and various new treatment regimens and devices, such as multiple daily injection and insulin pump therapy. These advances have increased the flexibility of insulin therapy and improved glycemic control, thus preventing and reducing diabetes-related complications. Advances in the treatment of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in the past decade have occurred in the areas of treatments and treatment philosophy. The push for new insulin analogs such as glargine, aspart, and lispro came in part from the results of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT), which highlighted the importance of more physiological insulin profiles. Prevention of complications in type 1 diabetes The importance of glycemic control in preventing microvascular complications of T1D was clearly demonstrated by the results of the DCCT in 1993.[1] The DCCT was a 9-year study examining the effect of conventional insulin therapy compared with the effect of intensive insulin therapy on complications related to diabetes. Intensive insulin therapy consisted of either multiple daily injection (MDI) or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) therapy. The DCCT saw a lower mean glycosylated hemoglobin value achieved in the intensive group compared with the conventional therapy group (7.2% vs 9.1%, P<.001). The two target populations in the study included a primary prevention group consisting of patients with no retinopathy or nephropathy, and a secondary prevention group of patients wi Continue reading >>
Type 1 Diabetes In Children Links
Managing type 1 diabetes is challenging, but with the help of an experienced team, your child can lead a healthy, active life. The Duke Children’s diabetes care team understands what it’s like to live with diabetes and provides comprehensive care, education, and support. We make sure you and your child have the information and resources you need to manage all aspects of living with diabetes -- physical, emotional, and practical. You can count on our support to help you and your child take control of your child’s health. What Is Type 1 Diabetes? Type 1 diabetes, also called juvenile diabetes, occurs when the body’s immune system destroys cells in the pancreas that create insulin. Insulin is a hormone that takes sugar (known as glucose) from your bloodstream and delivers it into your cells to be used for energy. Without insulin, your blood sugar levels remain high -- which can lead to serious health complications over time. Because their bodies don’t make insulin, children with type 1 diabetes must get insulin from multiple daily injections or an insulin pump. They also must test their blood sugar levels throughout the day and pay special attention to diet and exercise. Managing your child’s type 1 diabetes can sometimes seem overwhelming. The Duke Children’s diabetes care team can help you overcome these challenges. We offer expert medical guidance and give you and your child information, support, and encouragement to manage and live well with diabetes. A Comprehensive, Team Approach to Type 1 Diabetes At Duke Children’s, you can be confident that your child will receive care from an experienced team that’s known for its expertise. We’re nationally ranked for pediatric diabetes and endocrinology by U.S. News & World Report, and we are recognized by th Continue reading >>
New Diabetes Treatment Could Eliminate Need For Insulin Injections
A cell-based diabetes treatment has been developed by scientists who say it could eliminate the need for those with the condition to inject insulin. The therapy involves a capsule of genetically engineered cells implanted under the skin that automatically release insulin as required. Diabetic mice that were treated with the cells were found to have normal blood sugar levels for several weeks. Scientists said they hope to obtain a clinical trial licence to test the technology in patients within two years. If successful, the treatment would be relevant for all type 1 diabetes patients, as well as those cases of type 2 diabetes that require insulin injections. Martin Fussenegger, who led the research at the ETH university in Basel, said: “By 2040, every tenth human on the planet will suffer from some kind of diabetes, that’s dramatic. We should be able to do a lot better than people measuring their glucose.” Fussenegger said that, if confirmed as safe and effective in humans, diabetes patients could be given an implant that would need to be replaced three times a year rather than injections, which do not perfectly control blood sugar levels, leading to long-term complications including eye, nerve and heart damage. In Britain, about 400,000 people have type 1 diabetes and three million have type 2 diabetes, about 10% of whom need to inject insulin to control the condition. Type 1 diabetes normally begins in childhood and is an autoimmune disease in which the body kills off all its pancreatic beta cells. The cells respond to the body’s fluctuating glucose levels by releasing insulin, which regulates blood sugar. Without beta cells, patients need to monitor glucose and inject insulin as required – typically several times each day. Previously, scientists have attempt Continue reading >>
- New diabetes treatment could eliminate need for insulin injections
- Relative effectiveness of insulin pump treatment over multiple daily injections and structured education during flexible intensive insulin treatment for type 1 diabetes: cluster randomised trial (REPOSE)
- Radical 'hot water bottle' treatment for diabetes could end to insulin injections
Giant Breakthrough In Type 1 Diabetes Research
Diabetes Ireland is delighted to hear of the Harvard success and congratulate Professor Melton and colleagues on figuring out the complex series of steps necessary to turn stem cells into beta cells. Hopefully, they can negotiate the regulations for mass production so that an abundant supply of beta cells is available an new and innovative methods will be developed to cure/treat Type 1 diabetes. Type I diabetes is an autoimmune condition whereby the body kills off its own beta (insulin producing) cells resulting in the need for daily insulin administration through the skin. Replacing beta cells in the first step towards a cure, but the replaced beta cells need to be protected from the body’s autoimmune response. This means protecting them in a coating or taking drugs to prevent the response (possible worse side effects than diabetes). While excited about this major step towards a cure, it may be many years before this is widely available. Other cure options on the horizon include technology cures which may be less invasive. So for people with Type 1 diabetes, there is hope of seeing a cure during your lifetime and therefore, ensure you stay healthy so that when available you can avail of it. Dr Anna Clarke, Health Promotion Manager, Diabetes Ireland Professor Melton’s research project explained Our research partners in the UK, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), have been heavily involved with this project. So what is it? A new method for converting stem cells to beta cells could speed encapsulated cell replacement product development and research to cure type 1 diabetes Insulin therapy has long been the only method of treating type 1 diabetes (T1D), but a major breakthrough in producing replacement beta cells is bringing new hope that more effective, alte Continue reading >>
Diabetes Technology Moves Closer To Making Life Easier For Patients
For people with diabetes, keeping blood sugar levels in a normal range – not too high or too low – is a lifelong challenge. New technologies to ease the burden are emerging rapidly, but insurance reimbursement challenges, supply shortages, and shifting competition make it tough for patients to access them quickly. One new product is a fast-acting insulin from Novo Nordisk. It is designed to help to minimize the high blood sugar spikes that often occur when people with diabetes eat a meal containing carbohydrates. This new formulation, branded "Fiasp," adds niacinamide (vitamin B3), which roughly doubles the speed of initial insulin absorption compared to current fast-acting insulins taken at mealtime. This new insulin hits the bloodstream in under three minutes. Another advance is Abbott's new monitoring device called the FreeStyle Libre Flash. It's new in the U.S. but has been available in Europe since 2014. It's a round patch with a catheter that is inserted on the arm for up to 10 days and a durable scanning device that the user waves over the patch to read the level of sugar in their tissues, which reflects the blood sugar level. The Libre works a bit differently than the two currently available continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) made by Dexcom and Medtronic. The Libre doesn't require users to prick their fingers for blood tests to calibrate it, whereas users of the other monitors must perform twice-daily fingerstick calibrations. Also, the Libre is approved for longer wear – 10 days (14 in Europe) versus seven days for the two current CGMs. And, it is likely to be considerably less expensive, although Abbott isn't providing cost information for the U.S. just yet. In Europe, the Libre system costs about four Euros a day (about $4.70). But, unlike the current d Continue reading >>
Diabetes Research: Advancing Toward A Cure
George L. King, M.D. Research Director and Head of the Section on Vascular Cell Biology, Joslin Diabetes Center; Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School This is an incredibly exciting time in diabetes research. In the past, we only have had one promising approach to finding a cure for patients with type 1 diabetes. Now we have several possibilities related to a cure, and even prevention, both for type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Previously, research toward a cure was focused on transplantation of the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, the islet cells or parts of the pancreas. In type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system turns on itself and destroys these islet cells. As a result, the body can’t produce the insulin required to escort glucose from the food we eat to where it is needed—into the cells of the body’s muscles and other organs. We are now focusing on ways to understand this immune attack to find safe ways to block it. There are several ongoing studies using our knowledge of immunology to try to intervene and prevent type 1 diabetes. Another important effort is directed to regenerating islet cells—to produce insulin again—either through the use of stem cells, embryonic or adult, or other ways of engineering these cells. We are now hopeful that a large number of people with type 1 diabetes still have surviving islet cells left to regrow. This optimism has been raised by the findings that many type 1 diabetes patients may still have residual islets that have retained some function to make insulin. A recent Joslin study of people who have lived more than 50 years with type 1 diabetes indicated that even some of these patients can still make insulin. Much attention is also aimed at the causes of type 2 diabetes. The main theory involves inflamm Continue reading >>
City Of Hope Aims To Cure Type 1 Diabetes In Six Years
It’s an extraordinary goal powered by an extraordinary gift. City of Hope’s Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute is committed to developing a cure for type 1 diabetes (T1D) within six years, fueled by a $50 million funding program led by the Wanek family. It seems an audacious goal for a comprehensive cancer center, but City of Hope has a long history of groundbreaking work in diabetes. Research conducted by City of Hope led to the development of synthetic human insulin, which is still used today by many of the estimated 1.5 million Americans with T1D and 27 million with type 2 diabetes (T2D). “City of Hope is best positioned to take on this challenge,” said Robert W. Stone, president and chief executive officer of City of Hope. “This is thanks to our 40-year institutional legacy of pioneering treatment and research advances in diabetes.” The funding for the transformative research needed to embark on such an endeavor is led by a gift from the Wanek family, which owns Ashley Furniture Industries, the world’s largest home furniture manufacturer. “City of Hope scientists’ research has revolutionized the understanding and treatment of diabetes,” said Todd Wanek, chief executive officer of Ashley Furniture, speaking on behalf of his family. “It continues today as physicians and scientists gain systemic understanding of diabetes as a complex, multifaceted disease.” Through the generosity of the family and gifts from an anonymous donor, City of Hope will be able to devote more than $50 million over the next six years to an unprecedented research effort: The Wanek Family Project for Type 1 Diabetes at City of Hope. A Multifaceted Approach The Wanek Family Project will result in the creation of a series of highly focused programs at City of Hope. The Continue reading >>
Scientists May Have Found A Functional Cure For Type-1 Diabetes
Type-1 diabetes is a chronic condition that affects an estimated 42 million people worldwide, and occurs when the pancreas produces little to no insulin. Those with the condition must take supplemental insulin so their bodies can process sugars. But now, researchers at ViaCyte, a regenerative medicine company, have some good news: They're working on a therapy based on stem cells that can automatically release insulin into the body when it's needed. The treatment is specifically aimed at patients with high-risk type-1 diabetes. ViaCyte estimates that around 140,000 people in the US and Canada suffer from the condition, which can cause life-threatening events. The use of stem cells to replace pancreatic insulin cells has been tried before, but without much success. ViaCyte's approach shows promise because the stem cells can mature within the body itself through an implant the company calls PEC-Direct. There has already been a round of clinical trials to test whether the stem cells could fully grow into the type of cells necessary to produce insulin -- called islet cells. That was a success. But the number of cells within the implants wasn't enough to actually treat the patients; it was solely to test whether the cells could, in fact, be grown. Now, in coordination with JDRF, an organization that funds type-1 diabetes research, ViaCyte has implanted PEC-Directs into two patients as a trial. It's important to note that this isn't a full cure. It's what ViaCyte President and CEO Paul Laikind calls "a functional cure." It doesn't address and treat the specific causes of the condition. Additionally, patients using this treatment would be required to take immunosuppressive drugs to protect the created cells from the body's immune system, according to New Scientist. Regardless, Continue reading >>
Study Advances Efforts To Screen All Children For Type 1 Diabetes
Study advances efforts to screen all children for Type 1 diabetes Novel way to present pancreatic proteins increases the sensitivity of Type 1 Diabetes Tests IMAGE:This is an illustration of the ZnT8 protein embedded in a fatty membrane and attached to the P-Gold Assay. view more Researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Stanford University and the University of Florida report the development of a novel antibody detection technology that holds promise for improving the accuracy of diagnostic tests for type 1 diabetes in young children and making populationwide screening practical. In a report on the work , published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Sept. 5, the scientists say the technology enables screening for more autoimmune antibodies implicated in type 1 diabetes than current tests by incorporating a full-length pancreatic protein, called the pancreatic zinc transport 8 (ZnT8), that is targeted for autoimmune attack in people with the disease. By improving the accuracy of this test, researchers hope to catch the disease earlier and extend testing to all people. Type I diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes, is a relatively rare form of the disorder in which the pancreas produces no insulin. It accounts for about 5 percent of all cases of diabetes in the United States. "Although current tests are about 94 percent accurate in detecting the antibodies years before children and young adults lose all blood sugar control, they are not accurate enough to rely upon for populationwide screening, so current antibody testing is limited to confirming diagnosis in symptomatic children and adults. Increasing the test accuracy will help expand screening for asymptomatic type 1 diabetes into the general population," says Dax Fu, Continue reading >>
Us Facility Aims To Cure Type 1 Diabetes Within Six Years
A diabetes research facility in the US has set the goal of curing type 1 diabetes within six years. The City of Hope's Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, based in California, is aiming to cure type 1 diabetes using $50 million (£40m) of funding from the Wanek family, who owns Ashley Furniture Industries, the world's largest home furniture manufacturer. City of Hope will be collaborating with the Wanek Family Project for Type 1 Diabetes on the six-year project, using an integrated approach to curing type 1 diabetes. These techniques include: Immunotherapy: Unlocking the immune system's role within diabetes and how stem cell-based therapies could reverse the immune attack on pancreatic beta cells Beta cell transplantation: Improving ways of boosting beta cells and encouraging their long-term survival following transplantation Preventing diabetes complications: Intervening at a genetic level to reverse complications and predict their development Dr Bart Roep, director of City of Hope's research team, says that the key to curing type 1 diabetes will be to understand what causes it to develop. From there, research can begin on treatments, which could vary from person to person. "[It's] something we call personalised medicine or precision medicine, which is very much in vogue in cancer. That means we need to understand where patients differ and then tailor the immune therapies to their specific needs," said Roep. Robert W. Stone, president and chief executive officer at City of Hope, added: "City of Hope is best positioned to take on this challenge. This is thanks to our 40-year institutional legacy of pioneering treatment and research advances in diabetes." City of Hope is an independent research and treatment centre for diabetes, cancer and other life-threatening Continue reading >>
- City of Hope's New Approach Aims to Cure Type 1 Diabetes in Six Years
- Type 2 diabetes breakthrough: Scientists create first pill that not only STOPS the condition in its tracks but also helps patients lose weight - and it could be available on the NHS within 3 years
- Betalin Aims To End Insulin Injections By Treating Type 1 Diabetes With Cell Transplants
August Type 1 Diabetes Research Update
Recently, the media has been full of stories highlighting new and emerging advancements in type 1 diabetes research and devices. With such an influx of information it can be difficult keep up with all of the exciting developments taking place around the world. To shine a light on some of these, we’ve composed a short list of some of the most exciting stories emerging in the past few months. Type 1 Diabetes Cured in Mice In May, researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio announced they have found a way to cure type 1 diabetes in mice. This comes after research spanning the past few years has investigated replacing the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas, which are destroyed in cases of type 1 diabetes. Medical News Today reports that rather than replace these beta cells, Dr Bruno Doiron and his team at the university have used a method of gene transfer to help trigger other pancreatic cells to produce insulin. This technique is called Cellular Networking, Integration and Processing and has led to long-term insulin secretion and blood glucose regulation in mice with no adverse side effects. As always with studies tested on animals, more research is required before this technique can be trialled in humans, though it is projected that trials could commence sometime in the next three years. ‘Artificial Pancreas’ Trials in Australia Closer to home, an exciting Australia-first study will see people from across the country fitted with an ‘artificial pancreas.’ When speaking to JDRF Australia, Professor Tim Jones, co-director of the Children’s Diabetes Centre at the Telethon Kids Institute said, “The hybrid closed-loop system consists of an insulin pump, [continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)] sensor with transmitter attach Continue reading >>
Important Advances In Type 1 Diabetes Research
Home / Conditions / Type 1 Diabetes / Important Advances in Type 1 Diabetes Research Important Advances in Type 1 Diabetes Research JDRF-funded studies on development of artificial pancreas, encapsulated islet cell therapies, and kidney preservation presented at 2015 ADA Scientific Sessions. Researchers at the University of Virginia are working to make the idea of an artificial pancreas a reality for anyone who needs it. Dr. Boris Kovatchev and his research team have developed a Diabetes Assistant Artificial Pancreas (DiAs AP) algorithm that can be used continuously in individuals with type 1 diabetes to help monitor their blood glucose levels and keep them in range all day and night. The target range is 70 180 mg/dL. According to their findings, the DiAs system is capable of reducing the amount of hypoglycemia experienced by type 1 diabetics, increasing the amount of time in range, and improving overnight control of blood glucose. Due to their promising preliminary results, research can now be expanded to a larger population, which could also include system options for use in children, teens, and pregnant women. Another focus of JDRF research has been the development of a new process that would allow for a significant decrease in the amount of time it takes researchers to create insulin-producing islet cells from human stem cells that would then be used in encapsulated islet cell therapies. Along with that, efforts are being made to pinpoint potential substances that can be used to encapsulate implanted islet cells without causing an immune response. Drs. Timothy Kieffer and Douglas Melton both claim to have developed procedures that shorten new islet cells production time by at least 70%; reducing the time from 20 24 weeks to as little as 6 weeks. The main difference Continue reading >>
Type 1 Diabetes
Print Diagnosis Diagnostic tests include: Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test. This blood test indicates your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months. It measures the percentage of blood sugar attached to the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells (hemoglobin). The higher your blood sugar levels, the more hemoglobin you'll have with sugar attached. An A1C level of 6.5 percent or higher on two separate tests indicates diabetes. If the A1C test isn't available, or if you have certain conditions that can make the A1C test inaccurate — such as pregnancy or an uncommon form of hemoglobin (hemoglobin variant) — your doctor may use these tests: Random blood sugar test. A blood sample will be taken at a random time and may be confirmed by repeat testing. Blood sugar values are expressed in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or millimoles per liter (mmol/L). Regardless of when you last ate, a random blood sugar level of 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) or higher suggests diabetes, especially when coupled with any of the signs and symptoms of diabetes, such as frequent urination and extreme thirst. Fasting blood sugar test. A blood sample will be taken after an overnight fast. A fasting blood sugar level less than 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) is normal. A fasting blood sugar level from 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L) is considered prediabetes. If it's 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L) or higher on two separate tests, you have diabetes. If you're diagnosed with diabetes, your doctor may also run blood tests to check for autoantibodies that are common in type 1 diabetes. These tests help your doctor distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes when the diagnosis is uncertain. The presence of ketones — byproducts from the breakdown of fat — in your urine also suggests type 1 diab Continue reading >>
